Method and apparatus for projection of matter explanatory to moving pictures.



L. GERMAIN.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROJECTION 0F MATTER EXPLANATORY T0 MOVINGPICTURES. APPLICATION FILED AUG-28.1913.

"1,243,507. Patented Oct. 16,1917.

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a F ,/\/"g QOQOOOOOOOO O O 0 O O o o o o o o o o o O A STREO o o o o o 0Q o o o 0 A STREEo 0 o o o o o o o D Q 0 A STREE TO i j {UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS GERMAIN, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROJECTION 0F MATTER EXPLANATORY TO MOVING-PICTURES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

Application filed August 28, 1913. Seria1No. 787,160.

descriptive synchronism with the appearance of the pictures projected.

In all motion picture apparatus, so far as I am aware, it is necessaryto interrupt the continuity of the story in order to display a caption,title or sub-title or any of the so-called' spoken lines of the actors,

and all other explanatory matter. This interruption not only tends todestroy artistic illusion but it greatly handicaps the scenario writerand the stage manager in setting the scenes. Captions and sub-titleswhich are now necessary, sometimes take the place of scenes which couldform connecting links between the scenes at the point of interruption,and therefore, it is the object of my invention to relieve the producerof this handicap and enable him to present, a continuous and connectedreel with such sequence as he may command and without regard to anyexplanatory matter, the latter being run in on the film, or duringprojection, in such descriptive synchronism with the appearance of thepictures as to explain any ambiguity which may occur and permit of anentire story being presented without physical or inartisticinterruption.

- A further object is to display descriptive matter in a running linealong the screen, preferably from right to-left and maintain the same infull view while it advances from the right to the left of the picturethereby In the drawing Figure l is a plan view of a motion pictureapparatus embodying the preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view illustrative of a modified form of the inventionshowing an embodiment thereof in a film.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a section of the film showing one of thepictures.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 5.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout thedifferent figures of the drawing.

For the purpose of illustration, I have shown the simplest possible formof my invention in which 1 indicates a picture tak ing or projectingapparatus provided with the usual operating crank 2. A screen isdiagrammatically indicated at 3 and the projection rays at 4, extendingfrom the picture machine to the screen.

I interpose in the projection rays, matter which is descriptive of thepictures on the filin being run in the machine or apparatus 1, forprojection on the screen. In pro ecting pictures, matter descriptivethereof will be run in descriptive synchronism with the pictures whichit describes, and such matter will appear upon the screen simultaneouslyWith the appearance of the pictures.

In the preferred form, I provide a carrier or tape 5, the ends of whichare wound about rollers 6 and 7. I preferably operatively connect therollers-6 and 7 by providing the spindles 8 and 9, respectively,

thereof with pulleys 10 and 11. A belt or cord 12 is shown trained aboutsaid pulleys.

The spindles 8 and 9 may be mounted in any suitable manner upon a base13. The tape 5 may have its descriptive matter perforated or slottedthereinor the tape may be formed of transparentmaterial so that theprojection rays passing therethrough will project the matter upon thescreen.

In order to provide for an intelllgible projection of the descriptivematter in harmonic synchronism with the appearance of the pictures, Iemploy means Whlch may be in the form of a motor 14, suitablyconnectnected with any suitable source of supply of current byconductors lfx-and 1.6. -I .-interpose or bridge in conductor 16 amagnet switch,-,:which .latter' is: provided with conductors 17 and 18having any suitable form of switch, not shown. When the magnet isenergized, a magnet portion 19 will bebrought into electrical contactwith a core 20 to close circuit through conductor 16.

However, the particular manner in which drive of the tape is effected isnot a part of the invention and therefore only the' most diagrammaticshowing is made.

The main object is to move the tape along at such a rate of speed withrespect to the rate of speed of the film, and to position thesubject-matter or descriptive matter on the tape so that it will beprojected in a running line across the screen in such synchronismWithrespect to the projection of the pictures as to describe the latterwhen they appear upon'the screen. 'The motor 14' may be switched into orout of circuit as the reel is being run to project the descriptivematter in sequential an'ddescriptive synchronism with the appearance ofthe pictures.

As will be seen by the arrow in Fig. 1, the tape 5 is moved from rightto' left, in cases where the descriptive matter is in any language whichis read from left to right, it being understood that Where the apparatusis used in connection with anyIlanguage which is otherwise read, itwould be a simple matter to modify the apparatus accordingly.

In view of the proximity of the strip 5 to 'the 'projecting machine, andalso to intensify'interest, I preferably project a fragment or fragmentsof a complete descriptive sentence or phrase in readable sequence uponthe screen. Thus in' the position shown in Fig. 6, there would beprojected upon the screen the words A street in New, the completed'sentence reading,A street'in New York. The projection of this sentencemight occur throughout the projection of a series of picturesandthereforeit' will be understood that absolute synchronism in theapparatus of my invention is not essential, it' being only essentialthat the matter should be. projected in descriptive or harmonicsynchronism Withthe appearance of the pictures and therefore it is notessential that the tape should be driven in any precise or specifiedorder with respect to the film, within certain limits, it beingunderstood ofcourse that the words A'street in New York, should appearduring depiction of at least one or more successive pictures showingsuch street.

It-will be. seen that during a succession of projections necessitating arelatively long sentence or sentences of descriptive matter that"fragments thereof may be projected successively as the incident orsituation is -developed-so'thatvan-ticipation will not in any sensedestroy the element of surprise in 'the'mind of -the'auditor. In'anycase, how- ;eVer, the descriptive matter will be visible in a runningline across the screen from one side of the picture until it disappearsat the other side thereof. I regard this feature of my' inven'tion ofprime importance, as with the tape 5, the latter could be driven slowlyenough to permit the matter in view clear across the screen, of beingread witlrease, and so as not to detract the gaze of the auditor fromthe picture in an undesirable manner.

It will be seen that this form of my inventionprovides for attachment'toany kind of machine now in use without alteration in any particularandthat the attachment can be located so as to project" the descriptivematter within the field ofthe picture and along'the bottom orborderportions thereof so as not to interfere with the picture.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modified form of the invention whereinthedescriptive matter isdisposed upon the film itself'and' wherein theobjectiveis' to expose'thefilm to such matter when the picture is being'taken so that when the picture is subsequently projectcd, descriptivematter will'appear upon the screen in absolute synchronism with respectto the appearance of the pictures.

In the form shown, I 'have disposed the printed matter on the'film atpoints between the pictures, the sections of the'film having picturesbeing indicated at 19 and those sections between the pictures havingprinted matter being indicated at 20. 'Itwill be seen by reason of thedisposition of 'the printed matter on thefilm that fragments of suchmatter will appear in a running line across the film from right to liftso that the audiencemay read it from left to right, the matter being infull view completely across the screen.

One of the special features which I desire to emphasize'is the'facilitywith'which a spoken line of a moving pictureactor can be made to appeareither simultaneously with, or slightly'subscquent to the particularaction or incident which the actor is p01- traying so as to avoid thepresent inartistic method of displaying a spoken line or caption in ananticipatingly advanced order with respect to the action described,thereby eliminating surprise, or, in any such subse quent relation tothe action as to confuse the mind of the auditor in fixing the spokenline in his mind. with respect'to what has preceded and in view of thesucceeding pictures which instantly follow.

It will'be seen that in oneform of'myinvention, namely, wherethe*film"shown in Fig. 3 is used, I can, with one picturepromy inventionwill be clearl understood both as regards its utility an advantages and'while I have herein shown and described specific forms of my invention,T do not wish to be limited thereto, except for such limitations as theclaims may import,

T claim 2- I 1. The method of projecting pictures which consists inpassing a single concentrated light stream through a pair of independentfilms one of which has pictorial matter thereon and the other havingread ing matter, and causing movement of the film having the readingmatter-thereon to thus accomplish changing of the same.

2. The method of projecting subjects which consists, in passing a lightstream through a film having printed subject matter thereon and inmoving the film in a progressive path through the light stream in a linewith the line of printed subject matter and in a direction obverse tothe direction followed in the reading of the same so to cause changingof the printed subject matter as projected.

3; The method of motion picture projection WlllOh consists in passing afilm through a light stream to project a series of pictures collectivelydepicting an incident or story, and in passing a second film havingprinted subject matter thereon through the light stream for successivelyprojecting connected fragments of matter relative to the picture.

at. The method of projecting motion pictures which consists in moving afilm through a light stream to project a series of pictures, and passinga second film. having lines of printed matter thereon through the lightstream ,in a path at an angle to the path of movement of said first filmto project the printed subject matter upon the screen and to causechanging of the same as the pictures are changed.

5. In a projecting apparatus, means whereby a light stream is projected,and a film having continuous lines of printed subject matter thereonmounted to be given progressive movement through said light streamnae-taco? which a light stream is projected, a film hav-- ing changingsubject matter throughout its length, means by which said film ismounted to be moved through the light stream, a second film having.changing subject matter throughout its-length, and means by whichsaidsecond film is also given movement, said films being arranged toeach carry a part of the subject matter which on the screeni orms thecompleted subject.

8. The method of pro ecting pictures 7 which consists in passing aconcentrated light stream through a transparency having a portion of thesubject to be projected thereon and in placing a second transparency inthe path of the light stream having the remainder of the subject matterthereon to complete the subject as shown.

9.'Tn a motion picture projecting apparatus, means by which aconcentrated light stream is thrown upon a screen, a film having aplurality of pictures thereon to be taken collectively to depict anincident or story and having transparent spaces between each picture ofthe series, means by which said film is mounted to be carried carriedthrough the lightstream in such a registered relation that the printedsubject matter will be shown upon the screen by the rays of light passinthrough the transparent portion of said rst film.

in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS Gunman.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature Witnesses:

CAROL O. Dnornn, C. Wmmuson.

